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that nurses and internes gave him up many times.

"It's only his fine young body, with a fine clean mind and fine living
behind it, that has brought him around, nurse," said Doctor MacFarland,
the police surgeon of Burke's precinct, as he came to make his daily
call.

"He's been very patient, sir, and it's a blessing to see him able to
sit up now, and take an interest in things. Many a man's mind has been
a blank after such a blow and such a fracture. He's a great favorite,
here," said the pretty nurse.

Old Doctor MacFarland gave her a comical wink as he answered.

"Well, nurse, beware of these great favorites. I like him myself, and
every officer on the force who knows him does as well. But the life of
a policeman's wife is not quite as jolly and rollicking as that of a
grateful patient who happens to be a millionaire. So, bide your time."

He chuckled and walked on down the hall, while the young woman blushed
a carmine which made her look very pretty as she entered the private
room which had been reserved for Bobbie Burke.

"Is there anything you would like for a change?" she asked.

"Well, I can't read, and I can't take up all your time talking, so I
wish you'd let me get out of this room into one of the wards in a
wheel-chair, nurse," answered Burke. "I'd like to see some of the
other folks, if it's permissible."

"That's easy. The doctor said you could sit up more each day now. He
says you'll be back on duty in another three weeks--or maybe six."

Burke groaned.

"Oh, these doctors, really, I feel as well now as I ever did, except
that my head is just a little wobbly and I don't believe I could beat
Longboat in a Marathon. But, you see, I'll be back on duty before any
three weeks go by."

Burke was wheeled out into the big free ward of the hospital by one of
the attendants. He had never realized how much human misery could be
concentrated into one room until that perambulatory trip.

It was not a visiting day, and many of the sufferers tossed about
restless and unhappy.

About some of the beds there were screens--to keep the sight of their
unhappiness and anguish from their neighbors.

Here was a man whose leg had been amputated. His entire life was
blighted because he had stuck to his job, coupling freight cars, when
the engineer lost his head.

There, on that bed, was an old man who had saved a dozen youngsters
from a burning Christmas tree, and was now paying the penalty